200 Owlets this year

This brood of three owlets, that have already began to make their first flights, marked the 200th chick to be ringed in our boxes during 2012. A remarkable number given the wet weather that has disguised itself as an English summer!

Wet weather takes its toll.

An evening spent visiting five nest sites yielded only seven chicks to ring on Wednesday. Broods are being decimated by the wet weather as the adults are finding it increasingly difficult to hunt.

Although these horses were interested in the Barn Owl chicks they weren't the only ones with long faces!

Owls used for publicity

Pleased landowners have featured the owls on their website:


www.ashhousefarm.com

Another new beeding site

I made a quick visit to Acton tonight and after ringing three birds at a traditional breeding site I found this single owlet at a new beeding site nearby. The box gave obvious clues that breeding had taken place and this female is only a few days from making her first exploratory flights into the wide world.

Little ones

I found these two little ones this morning at another new breeding site.